


Break Down and Rebuild

by alafaye



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-09
Updated: 2012-01-09
Packaged: 2017-10-29 06:46:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/316907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur realizes his life isn't for him. He sets out and changes it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Break Down and Rebuild

**Author's Note:**

  * For [meltedbones](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=meltedbones).



> Written for the 2011 holiday exchange at the livejournal community merlin_holidays.

"Arthur, your father would like to see you."

Arthur looked up and frowned. "My father?"

His secretary nodded. "Yes. He says it's important."

He sighed and put down his pen. "Thanks. Let him know I'll be five minutes."

She left quickly and he put his hands flat on his desk. An uneasy feeling began in the bottom of his stomach. All of the clients he was working on had reported no problems and while he thought he had everything under control, it was possible he'd missed something. His father was very precise and wanted all the details to be perfect. As his son, Arthur needed to be the example of that.

So, he'd taken his A-levels and then, on his father's advice, taken courses at Cambridge where he was able to earn a degree that would give him what he needed for taking a position in his father's business. He had gone on to work in one of father's secondary companies (one which few knew that Uther Pendragon owned). After working another four years, he had been offered a position and some shareholder privileges at Camelot Advertising. He found a furnished flat in one of the best neighborhoods and that was that.

Lately, however, he had felt that this wasn't what he wanted. He thought it had been and he had wanted to make his father happy. And Arthur was good at advertising--he could do it in his sleep. Ideas flowed constantly and even the trickiest, most demanding customers were no challenge for him.

He thought that might be part of the problem--it was _too_ easy. There was no challenge for him and going home at the end of the day usually meant bringing work home. He wasn't satisfied with having done something that wasn't challenging--he needed to do more.

In the elevator, he straightened his coat and sleeves and smoothed his hair down. Another reason he suspected he wasn't happy was his father. It seemed as though his life was orchestrated and that there was no room for what he wanted--only for what Uther Pendragon wanted. He nodded at his father's secretary. She smiled. "Go right on it. He's waiting."

Arthur took a deep breath and knocked. When his father said enter, he opened the door and tried to keep his nerves from showing on his face. "Ah, Arthur. Good. Come in, come in."

"You wanted to see me?" Arthur asked. He didn't sit; he hadn't been invited to and he knew better than to do anything in this office that had not been said.

Uther sat back in his chair. "One of my CEOs is retiring, Arthur. I am going to have you take his place."

"CEO?" There were more qualified men in the firm who would be better suited to the job.

"Yes, I want you to learn the position. The more experience you have, the more ready you will be when I am ready to retire or for when you decide to start your company."

Arthur was silent as he thought about the specific wording of that sentence. It took him all of a minute to realize what was being done here. "Have you decided that for me yet?"

Uther frowned. "What?"

"It just seems as though every thing I've done in my life has been because you've decided it." Arthur took a deep breath and shook his head. "When I was deciding which university to enter, I received a letter from Cambridge congratulating me on my acceptance into their business programme. Then I received a job offer from Albion Enterprises on my graduation from Cambridge as well as a letter saying my tuition for the master's programme was paid in full. I received this job when I received my masters and now this. I wonder that you haven't figured out what I'll be doing after being a CEO here--owning the company or starting my own. And if it's my own, I wouldn't be surprised to see your name next to mine on the legal papers."

Arthur was gasping and a churning continued to build in his stomach as he finally faced his father's eyes. There was anger there. "Is that what you think? That I've orchestrated your entire life for you?"

"It's obvious to me," Arthur replied. Uther was silent and Arthur knew that wasn't a good thing. He clenched his fists. "It's true, isn't it?"

"I don't know where you got this idea from," Uther finally said, yet his face said otherwise.

"Right," Arthur said, knowing that he was right. There was no other explanation.

"I want you to take a vacation," Uther said. "Take some time and calm down. You clearly have been working too hard."

"No, I won't."

"What?" Uther looked confused and Arthur wondered when the last time was that anyone had dared to say no to Uther Pendragon.

"I said no," Arthur repeated. "I quit."

"And where will you go?"

"I don't know, but I won't be back here again."

"Arthur, don't do this. Take the vacation time, calm down, and when you come back, you'll realize how perfect being a CEO will be for your career."

"You mean for yours. I won't." Arthur left the office and his father yelling at him. He nodded at the secretary who looked concerned and entered the elevator. He let out a heavy breath and didn't even stop at the floor his own office was on. His former office. Sitting in the car in the garage, he wondered what he'd done and what to do next. He had no ideas.

~~~

"And that's when I found myself here," he finished.

"Ah," Merlin said.

Arthur had driven for hours after leaving the garage, unsure of what to do. He knew, in the back of his mind, that he needed to find a new job and probably a new flat and maybe sell his car, but in the front of his mind, he was in a fog. He eventually ended up at Merlin's and Gwaine’s flat--he'd met Gwaine at Cambridge and they'd remained friends ever since. Though their neighborhood wasn't the best and their flat was not the cleanest, it was warm in a comforting way. When Merlin had welcomed him with an exuberant hug, he'd felt some of the fog lift from his mind. Relating his tale, however, had brought it back.

"You'll be fine shortly," Gwaine said. He set out beers and took a drink of one. "It's the adrenaline."

Arthur shrugged. "I just don't know what to do."

"You'll figure it out," Merlin promised. "After a night's rest, your head will clear."

"I think Gaius is looking for help in the cafe," Gwaine said thoughtfully.

"Stop it," Merlin said. He rolled his eyes. "Tomorrow, we'll form a plan. Stay here tonight?" His eyes were begging and Arthur couldn't say no.

~~~

And tomorrow had come. And so had the following month. Arthur had quit his flat and moved in with Merlin and Gwaine--mostly because they had a spare room and he didn't know how to go about finding a new one without an income. He eventually met Gaius who was looking for another hand for the coffee shop and had hired Arthur on the spot since Arthur was friends with Merlin (Arthur wondered why the old man had a soft spot for Merlin who was nothing better than a dork).

"And the last thing we do is count the drawer," Gwaine said, wrapping up the last of the detailed list of their job descriptions and duties. "Any questions?"

Arthur blinked and thought over what seemed to be a mile long list of what he was required to do as the newest barrista. "I don't think so."

"I know it seems like a lot, but it isn't," Gwaine said with a clap on Arthur's back. "You'll get the hang of it."

"Or not," Merlin teased as he entered the conversation. He ducked when Gwaine turned to hit him upside the head.

"He's right," Arthur said. "I've never had to do anything like this in my life."

"We know, princess," Gwaine said.

"You'll do fine," Merlin said in a serious tone. "I know you know how to multitask and that's all this is. Multitasking."

Gwaine was nodding. "Exactly."

Arthur looked around the--currently closed--coffee shop. It wasn't the most chic place he'd been in--it was in fact homey and had that hole-in-the-wall mom-and-pop kind of feel to it. Considering that Gaius was the one who owned it, that wasn't surprising. It had been a home in its former life and when Gauis had bought it, he'd converted it into a coffee house with rentable flats on the second floor. The basement was the stock room for the coffee house as well as Gaius' flat. It was homey and comforting.

Arthur liked it.

"So, how about we start you on register?" Merlin asked. "That's always the hardest, I think."

"Only because you can never remember how much change to give back," Gwaine teased.

Merlin glared and Arthur laughed. "What about customers orders?"

"We're always busy in the morning--you don't want to start out now," Gwaine said. "All you'll have to do is write the orders on the slip and hang it here," he indicated a bit of fishing line that went from the register to the other end where the drinks were mixed. "If it's for food, we'll get the drink started and then hand it off to the kitchen."

"And that's it?"

"For now, yeah," Merlin said. "After the morning rush, we'll move you to the drinks."

Arthur shrugged and nodded. "Right. So, when do we start?"

Gwaine looked at the door where they had their first customer waiting and then his watch. "Now."

~~~

 _Two weeks later_

Arthur hung up the towel on the rack near the sink and stretched his arms above his head. It was hard work, having a job like this, but he always went home feeling like he had done something with his day. Leaning against the metal basin, he thought back to a month ago, when he had had everything. Now, he had a shared flat and a job that didn't need any of his fancy degrees. He actually was happier.

"Ready to leave?" Merlin asked as he looked into the bathroom.

Arthur nodded. "Yeah." He grabbed his coat and followed Merlin and Gwaine out of the shop. Doors locked, they began the walk to the flat.

"So, dinner?" Merlin asked.

"Is any of us in the mood to even cook?" Gwaine asked. It had been a long day and they were all worked to the bone.

"Indian then?" Arthur asked.

They agreed and collected the food on the way. At the table, Arthur watched as Merlin and Gwaine teased each other as they ate; they were taking bites off the other's plate and flirting as they offered a taste of the food they were eating. It wasn't their usual habit--in fact, Arthur hadn't seen them do anything of the sort until a few weeks after he moved in. He was always uncomfortable seeing it--in part because it seemed private, but mostly because it turned him on.

He cleared his throat. "Do you mind not doing that at the table?"

Gwaine raised an eyebrow. "Doing what?"

"That!" He waved his fork between them. "Flirting."

"Does it upset your digestion?" Gwaine asked. He dropped his voice and leaned forward. "Or because it turns you on?" When Arthur flushed and spluttered, Gwaine turned to Merlin. "I told you that we couldn't be subtle with him."

"And I agreed," Merlin said. "Only that we should give it a try to see if he's interested!"

"Interested?" Arthur asked.

"In us," Gwaine said offhandedly.

"In joining us, specifically," Merlin said.

"Joining you?" Arthur repeated. In his mind, images of the three of them--images taken from his own dreams--began to play. His cock got harder and he shifted in his seat.

"We want you," Merlin said. "In bed. Hopefully fucking me while Gwaine fucks you, but I'm easy with anything."

"And he is easy when it comes to sex," Gwaine said with a wink.

Merlin flushed and Arthur dropped his fork in shock. "Oh."

"So, how about it? You can fuck me while I fuck Merlin. Or--"

"Enough!" Merlin said, jumping up. "You two decide. I'm going to the bedroom--join me when you're ready!"

Gwaine and Arthur watched him go and then turned to each other. It was one thing Arthur had noted early on when he'd moved in--Merlin was very free with talking about sex and how often he and Gwaine went at it. Arthur had thought Merlin to be the private sort and was pleased to find he was wrong.

"We could double team him--one of us in his mouth and the other in his arse," Gwaine said.

Arthur gulped. "Th-that would be fine."

Gwaine chuckled. "Come on, then. He gets impatient when he's decided it's time for sex."

Arthur laughed weakly and followed. In the bedroom, Merlin was already naked and was fingering himself. He looked up when they entered. "What took so long?"

"Had to decide how we were going to do this," Gwaine said with a wink.

Arthur was undressing and eying Merlin. Gwaine shook his head and followed Arthur's example. When they were both as naked as Merlin, they joined him and took turns kissing him. Merlin moaned and writhed between them. "So, who's where?" Gwaine asked, slowly jerking Merlin off. Merlin was bucking into his hand.

"Can I fuck him?" Arthur asked.

"Please!" Merlin said.

Arthur slicked himself up and settled between Merlin's legs which eagerly opened for him. He worked his fingers in Merlin's arse, seeing if Merlin was ready. Merlin groaned. "Get on with it!"

"Time to shut you up," Gwaine muttered and straddled Merlin's chest. "Open wide." Arthur couldn't see, but he watched Merlin's hands curl around Gwaine's hips and heard Gwaine moan.

He removed his fingers and thrust a little into Merlin's opening hole. Slowly, in shallow thrusts, he buried himself in there, sighing a little at how it pulled him into its hot heat. Once fully inside, he groaned and leaned forward, forehead resting against Gwaine's back. Gwaine chuckled. "Good, isn't he?"

"Y-yes," Arthur muttered. He shifted and used the new leverage to fuck Merlin, hard and fast. The hands on Gwaine's arse tightened and Gwaine's breathing sped up as his hips rolled forward and back.

Arthur belatedly reached for Merlin's cock which was leaking furiously and it took only a few strokes before Merlin's body was tightening up around Arthur's cock. He felt when Merlin let it go and his hand was quickly coated in his sticky seed. The pressure on his cock prompted his own orgasm and soon after, Gwaine was yelling as he froze in his orgasm.

~~~

"Can we do that again?" Merlin asked later. Curled between Arthur and Gwaine, he looked nothing more than a contented cat who had gotten the cream.

Gwaine raised an eyebrow at Arthur who smiled and nodded. "Sure. But next time, I get your mouth."

Merlin hummed happily and Gwaine pushed them all into a tighter fit. Arthur put his arm around them both as best as he could and breathed in their combined scents. This beat the emptiness from before, far and away.


End file.
